


For The Horde

by The Space Bard (GraceJordan)



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, F/F, Horde Adora (She-Ra), Lesbian Disaster Adora (She-Ra), POV Adora (She-Ra), Past Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Yearning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24494611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GraceJordan/pseuds/The%20Space%20Bard
Summary: A younger Adora knows how she feels about Catra, but feels trapped; literally. They're trapped in a cavern together
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 115





	For The Horde

Catra was so close that Adora was sweating, and not just because they were trying to get out of a cramped cavern. 

In her dreams, she longed for this. Catra’s breath on her shoulder, her fur just brushing her skin, Adora’s ponytail brushing her friend’s cheek and making her sneeze.

Boy, did she have the cutest sneeze. Adora had to use all her strength to not smile every single time. If she did, Catra would get so mad and it would throw the entire mission off. Anyway, she wasn’t supposed to be smiling. Somewhere, out there, Shadow Weaver was watching their progress. One smile could turn into a cute, off-topic conversation which could get her janitorial duty for a week.

For Catra, it could be even worse. 

Flicking a glance over her shoulder, Adora watched Catra itch her nose and then look at the walls seriously. She scraped her claws across them, easily grabbing a good hold, but she didn’t say anything, just turned in the other direction, trying to look inconspicuous. 

Typical. Catra was always more capable than she led on, but she wouldn’t leave Adora down here just to show off. 

It was one of the things she lo-

Adora shut that thought right down. That wasn’t encouraged in the horde. Especially not for her. She thought, maybe, once.

But then Shadow Weaver made it clear to her that there would be consequences, after finding her and Catra giggling in closet, hiding from Kyle trying to track them down and give them a message.

She spent her whole life vying for Force Captain, and when it came to Shadow Weaver and Catra...

Well, Adora didn't know what happened, but she didn't like the bruises that came with them ever spending time alone.

Anyway, Shadow Weaver always said Force Captains weren’t supposed to get distracted. And distractions didn’t have a place in the Horde. She didn’t want to know what that meant if applied to a person. 

"You got any ideas, Adora?" 

"Ummm..." Feeling Catra’s arm brush against her back, Adora stiffened and sucked in, trying to avoid too much touching. Touching made it hard to think. Unfortunately, though, her answer was still the same: "Not really." 

"Brilliant."

Cocking her head towards the claw marks in the wall, Adora said, "You could do it by yourself."

"Don't be dumb, the mission is to get out together." Catra frowned and tucked her fingers under her chin, a gesture so thoughtful and rare that Adora found herself staring. "Unless..." 

Sometimes Adora forgot how adorable her hands were, so sharp and soft at the same time. It reminded her of when they were little girls and she would grab Catra’s hands and drag her around the halls, taking her on different wild adventures and new places to explore every day. 

Shadow Weaver never liked their little adventures, but her scolding never stopped them. 

All of a sudden, Catra looked to Adora with a raised eyebrow and Adora gave a panicked shrug. Yep, that’s what she was doing the entire time looking at her hands, just thinking up ideas. Nothing more. Not wondering how if felt to hold them again, or maybe drag Catra somewhere again, watch her laugh, shut up her cute, loud giggles with her-

Adora shrugged even deeper and even screwed up her face to sell it. 

Rolling her eyes, Catra looked in the other direction, crossed her arms, and said, "Unless you let me carry you." 

At first, the way Catra mumbled it under her breath made it difficult to hear. But from the slight darkening of Catra’s cheeks, Adora was able to piece the words together. That didn’t stop her voice from squeaking. "What?"

Catra groaned and gestured to the tall cavern walls. "We use what we have. You climb on my back and I get us out of here." 

With one mental picture of her arms around Catra’s neck, her soft skin under her fingers, her nose pressed into her hair... Adora had to consciously think of every breath to avoid hyperventilating. "I don't know if that's the best idea-"

"What? You have a better one?" 

"No, but..." Weighing the importance of accomplishing this test and her own dumb hang-ups, Adora knew what the right answer was. She just needed to get a hold of herself. Exhaling, she admitted, "But you're right." 

Under the guise of sarcasm, Catra flashed her this proud little smirk. "Oh good, you finally get that I'm the brilliant one." Even though she could look at Catra smirking for... far too long, she needed to do this before she lost her nerve. Climbing onto Catra’s back, the only thing she could be thankful about was that her best friend could not see the blush on her cheeks and neck. 

Focusing on her mouth, the only thing not pressed against Catra, Adora said, "Pipe down, kitty cat. Let's get this test over with." 

Catra chuckled, something Adora could feel throughout her whole body. "You owe me one."

“Of course I do.” 

Then they started their ascension. 

Admittedly, Adora spent most of the time worried about Shadow Weaver’s assessment later and the way it felt to hold onto Catra so tightly. The cat-girl had her claws firmly in the wall and was climbing steadily, but Adora felt these twisting knots of anxiety growing like weeds. Normally heights didn’t get to her, but...

Well, let’s just say the lack of control in the situation made Adora feel all sort of things that a future Force Captain shouldn’t feel. 

When Catra’s hand slid down the wall a mere inch, Adora practically screeched. "Be careful!"

"Give me a break. You're not the one saving our asses, are you?" Catra scoffed, but then added, quieter, “You don’t think I can do this, do you?” 

"No! I just want to get out of this alive, okay?"

"What, can't handle a little danger, princess?"

Adora felt her blood boil. How was she anything like the stuck-up enemy? "Don't you dare call me that!"

Unfortunately, that only egged on Catra more. "You gonna make it a couple more feet, pretty princess?"

"When we get up there, you are so gonna get it, Catra!"

"I can't wait to see you try."

The longer the climb went, the more Adora could feel every flex of Catra’s shoulders, her thighs, as they went. It was hard not to think about it when it was thinking about Catra or thinking about how Shadow Weaver might react to this... behavior. 

Maybe all of it was a mistake. If she saw Adora clinging to Catra like this, Catra could-

She shook her head. Shadow Weaver wasn’t even supposed to watch these tests. The point was to abandon recruits in the cavern and see how long it took them to get back to the barracks. They’d definitely beat Regelio and Kyle (purely because they could use Kyle’s reputation as an excuse to get... distracted) but a lot was expected out of her.

Shadow Weaver expected Adora to lead. She wasn’t supposed to get distracted. 

If only Catra’s hair was so soft. 

Just then, Adora was wretched out of her conflicted, confused trance. Catra hopped them up on top of the cliff’s edge and detached Adora from her back.

Unlucky for said Adora, she didn’t realize how wobbly her legs had gotten and she collapsed to the ground. 

Above her, Catra brushed off her hands and had this wide, proud grin. "Perfect success, if I do say so myself.” Looking up at Catra distracted Adora from all the complicated things she was feeling. Instead, she felt this rush of adrenaline, the kind that couldn’t fathom that this person in front of her was hers. 

Even if it wasn’t in the way she wanted, and probably never would be. 

Catra started to ask, “So, what are you gonna-" 

Before she could contain herself, fall back on those wobbly legs and put duty first, Adora threw herself at Catra and hugged her, tight. She had to show her something."Catra you did it! We made it!"

"What the-" Catra glanced down at Adora’s wobbly legs and raised a bemused eyebrow. "Are you afraid of heights?"

"No." Adora detangled herself from Catra and crossed her arms. Sometimes Catra could be pretty annoying, too. "Not most of the time, at least. It was just I wasn't in control so..."

"Aww, Adora was scared because she’s a cute little control freak." Adora frowned, but Catra stepped closer and poked her cheek, discouraging the pout. That tail of hers even flicked at her arm.

But Adora was all that stupid or forgetful, she knew Catra’s tail wasn’t all that random. Even when she was trying to be less smug and proud, she could tell in the way it swayed at her. Shoving down a smile of her own, Adora tried to disengage. That’s what she was supposed to do. They got a little too close, but she wasn’t supposed to-

Then her brain fried when Catra tucked an index finger under her chin, giving a softer, sweeter smile and promised, "Don't worry, I had you safe the entire time." 

Adora swallowed, but it barely went down. "You're right, you did. Thank you." 

Like a wall tumbling down, Adora’s breath caught in her throat and she felt attuned to the stillness of the air, the stuttered beat of her heart, the heat off of Catra’s skin. And her eyes were on her lips and all she needed was another leaning inch and she could finally-

A Force Captain isn’t supposed to get distracted. And distractions didn’t have a place in the Horde. 

With the fakest laugh she’d ever given, and a helpless shove of Catra’s shoulder, Adora jogged a few steps away from her like it was all some silly, playful game like when they were kids. "So we better get back then, shouldn't we?"

When Catra looked at her, her eyebrows tied together, she didn’t look playful at all. She just looked confused. Her shoulders shrugged, all the pride blown out of them, so the action was weak and lacked any of the bluster of before. "I thought we might hang out alone for a bit, celebrate our victory over another stupid test."

Adora sucked in a breath. She didn’t want to walk away, but it was better they just forget moments like this, or the closet, like they never happened right? 

Shaking her head, she said. "We don't have time for that, Catra. Let's go." 

In a peace offering, Adora extended her hand back, hoping with all her heart Catra would take it. 

"Yeah, I guess we should." And Catra walked past her, before she started jogging towards the barracks. “Bet you can’t catch me, Adora!” There was a smile on her lips when she said it, but it didn’t meet those beautiful blue and yellow eyes of hers. 

Adora ran after her best friend, but she struggled to keep on the barest minimum of a lying smile. Because Catra was right; Adora would never catch her. 

And Adora had to accept that her heart would certainly break in the process. 

The things you do for your righteous duty to Horde.

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea in my head for a week, but I thought the first day of Pride Month was a good time to get it all out :)


End file.
